Sex of A.cacatuoides - help please

[Kittiwake]

Hi,

I recently purchased two A. cacatuoides (my first cichlid purchase) and they are housed in a 48 inch community tank with other peaceful tankmates. The store told me I had a male female pair; however I am not convinced. Both fish started out appearing very similar in size and colouration. One now has grown much bigger (the dominant one) and has become more colourful (yellow). The other has stayed the original size and whilst showing slight colour on its fins is more drab (light brown).

I suspect I have two females (the dominant one has coloured up and the other has stayed plain to avoid the other one). Please can you let me know what you think. If they are both females I will need to try and swap a female for a male.

Pictures are here:
www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo

Thanks,

kittiwake

 

[apistobob]

Kitti,

I believe that both are females.

Bob

 

[Kittiwake]

Thanks Bob,

I suspected as much. I will try and hunt down a male. Do you think the bullying of the smaller female would reduce if I added a male ? If not I shall rehome her into one of my other tanks. I know that they can be ok in harems but currently she doesn't look happy :frown:

Kitti

 

[Mike Wise]

If you look closely you will see a lyre tail on the larger fish (http://www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo/acacatuoideslarge3.jpg) and red anterior dorsal spines just beginning to grow out on the smaller fish (http://www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo/acacatuoidessmall3.jpg). I think that you have 2 young males! It would be helpful to see the large fish with its dorsal fin erected, just to be sure.

 

[Kittiwake]

I have taken some more photos of the fish. Unfortunately they are not very good but hopefully you can see the fins and colour. These fish have both begun to colour up since a week ago when I took the last photos. They do look more like males now but I though only females had black bars on ventral fins ? I have seen photos of coloured females so I am rather confused still.

Larger fish:
http://www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo/dscn3635.jpg
http://www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo/dscn3686.jpg
http://www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo/dscn3673.jpg

Smaller fish:
http://www.oryx.homelinux.net/Fish/cockatoo/dscn3626.jpg
(apologies for blurry image but only one available with extended fins).


Thanks,
Helen

 

[pjvtrash]

I have to go with Bob on this one. I have a couple of OLD females, proven breeders, with lyre tail and slightly elongated dorsal spines. They also have color in the fins similar to your fish. How large are your fish?

 

[Kittiwake]

The small fish is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) and the larger one is about 1.75 inches (4.5cm) now.

Is it possible to determine sex from the behaviour ? The larger one continuously chases the smaller one and forces it to hide all the time.

Kitti

 

[Mike Wise]

Young males (< 2"/5 cm) can still have some of their juvenile markings which are similar to those of mature females. pjvtrash could be correct, too. Older females do take on masculine characteristics. I think only time will tell.